Walensee

Between Liechtenstein and Zürich, the spectacular, blue-green lake called the Walensee stretches 16 km (10 miles) through the mountains, reflecting the jagged Churfirsten peaks. Once bypassed by Zürich residents en route to family chalets in Graubünden and Valais, this area is seeing new life as a weekend getaway because of a new tunnel that has discreetly hidden the cars in a pipeline of half tunnels. Walenstadt is the region’s biggest town and has the most dining options, and the strand of other lakefront villages are picturesque and read like a Harry Potter witchcraft spell: Weesen, Quinten, Quarten, and Murg.